Article
Vancouver Heritage Office Building Gets a New Lease on Life
March 26, 2026 4 Minute
CBRE’s Blair Quinn and Luke Gibson are marketing 837 Beatty St, a new 38,427 sq. ft. mass timber hybrid office building in Vancouver’s historic Yaletown area.
It’s the only new office development to be delivered in the downtown core in 2026 and for the foreseeable future.
“New office development in Vancouver is a rarity these days,” says Quinn. “And 837 Beatty has a much different feel from what we’re used to seeing downtown.”
The seven-storey office building is being built on top of a restored former warehouse that dates back to 1911, combining the aesthetic of a century-old brick and beam structure with the functionality and sleekness of new, state-of-the-art office space.
“It’s the best of all worlds,” Gibson says. “You get all the modern benefits of a brand new office building with a beautiful retro brick-and-stick interior, plus the aesthetic of a modern hybrid mass timber building.”
Rich History
837 Beatty has managed to endure amid Vancouver’s immense growth and intensification.
The heritage structure, once home to the Anglo-Canadian Warehouse Co., was originally designed to accommodate four additional storeys.
That vision is finally being realized by Reliance Properties. The redevelopment will entail adding the office space on top of the old warehouse, and the ground and lower levels will be used for retail, with the sixth floor rooftop serving as an outdoor amenity space for office workers.
“It’s a challenging project,” Quinn . “Unlike full mass timber buildings that are constructed from the ground up, adding to and preserving a heritage structure is quite an undertaking.”
The effort will be well worth it, says Gibson. “It’s a greater experience than a typical concrete and glass box.”
The restored brick and beam interior of the old warehouse will be preserved, with high ceilings and operable windows that allow for natural light and fresh air to pour in. Other building amenities will include bike lockers and a coffee shop at the back of the building.
“You get a really clean and authentic look,” says Quinn. “It’s an ideal space for anyone, especially creatives and tech companies.”
Mass Timber Hybrid Construction Is the Future
Mass timber construction in Canada is nowhere near as common as conventional concrete and steel.
But Quinn says that’s likely to change in the coming years. “It’s still in its adolescent stage but we believe mass timber is the future. It’s a greener form of construction that should reduce cost and timing, making way for faster and lower cost projects as productivity improves.”
Canada has ~700 mass-timber buildings and more than 140 projects are currently planned or under construction. Notable office developments include Hines’s T3 Bayside and T3 Junction in Toronto and The Hive in Vancouver, a 10-storey mass timber building completed last year.
“We can see the future of construction, engineering and workplace excellence at 837 Beatty,” says Gibson. “It promises to be a captivating addition to downtown Vancouver’s hippest neighbourhood.”
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